Hackney has secured a deal to allow older residents free travel on most buses, tubes and trains 24 hours a day – a deal guaranteed until 2015.

The extension to the council-funded Freedom Pass scheme was agreed as part of a five year deal negotiated between London’s councils and Transport for London.  

Each year Hackney pays Transport for London and rail operators in the capital to allow older and disabled residents to use their services free of charge.   For 2009/10 Hackney will pay over £4.75 million to give more than 25,000 elderly and disabled Hackney residents free travel.

At a meeting of London Councils Transport and Environment Committee Hackney along with their fellow Labour boroughs, voted to extend the free travel scheme for elderly people

Jules Pipe welcomed the deal saying:

"We are pleased to have voted to support this deal, which will continue to benefit thousands of older and disabled residents in the borough.

Although the Mayor of London is keen to claim credit for this scheme, the Freedom Pass is almost entirely funded by London councils like ours and by extra grants from the Labour government.”